My Thoughts On The Opioid Epidemic And Why They Should Matter

I’m tired. Tired of being in chronic pain. Tired of hearing and reading about “the opioid epidemic”. Tired of my physician being regulated by Medicare as to how much oxycodone he can prescribe in total for his practice. Tired of worrying about the Federal Government and State of Tennessee government regulating my personal requirement for painkillers. Tired of hearing unqualified politicians or others telling me that “Opioids are not meant for long term treatment of chronic pain. No excuse. If you have an ongoing script from your doctor, he’s part of the problem.” I’m tired of anybody other than my physician thinking that they know what is best for me and how I should be dealing with my pain. They need to walk a mile and spend a day in my shoes and try and deal with my pain.

The FDA states on their website, “Opioid analgesics are important pain medications that provide significant benefits for patients when used properly for their approved indication.”

WebMd reports on their website that “When people with no history of drug addiction appropriately use narcotics at prescribed doses to control pain, they are relatively unlikely to become addicted to the drugs.”

Many studies have pointed to joblessness, hopelessness and emotional pain as part of the root causes of the opioid epidemic. Unemployment, lack of health insurance and poverty are all associated with a higher prevalence of prescription opioid misuse and use disorders among adults.

The politicians need to look at the root causes of the epidemic and solve those problems. If not, the contributing causes will still remain and regulating the medications will not stop the misuse. Prohibition did not stop people from drinking. Regulating tobacco has not stopped people from smoking. Regulating over the counter medications has not stopped the meth problem. All of these regulations and controls do not solve the problem, they only make it more and more difficult for those of us with chronic pain problems to get the relief we need.

I am a veteran and have served my country. It’s time for my country to leave me alone and let me live the rest of my life as pain free as possible. If you take away my painkillers I will probably end up having to find them on the street. Regulating my usage will only contribute to the illegal drug problem. Regulating my access to my pain killers solves nothing. Our country’s history has shown that over-regulating anything only worsens the problem and actually causes a whole set of new problems.

These are my thoughts. They come from the pain I have to deal with. I need pain relief and that is why my thoughts should matter.